The price of betrayal
by Fragments Of Dreams
Summary: New Summary: We all have a past, a present and a future. Fubuki thought that, like others, his past was behind him. But a ghost from his past still lurks in Inazuma Town, and has a claim on his blood...
1. Betrayal

_**Disclaimer: The author does not own Inazuma Eleven or its characters. There is an OC he does not own as well, but it's owner will be revealed in due time… (Please do not reveal who he/she is until I personally do)**_

* * *

_**Chapter One: Betrayal**_

It was night time. A chilling snowstorm was brewing in the quaint little Inazuma town. No living thing was seen outside, which was unsurprising, since the inhabitants of the town had never seen such a vicious storm in living memory.

But still, a girl of about eighteen was still outside in the outskirts of town, standing, or rather, kneeling in the snow against the cruel winds. She was seemingly waiting for someone, hopefully looking at the road that leads to a frozen over lake.

'Please, come soon… I-I can't hold out for much longer…' She was whispering desperately.

She stood up, seemingly finding the person she was looking for. The silhouette she was looking at became clearer and clearer.

But it wasn't the person she was looking for, not at all. The figure turned out to be a woman.

The girl stepped back, slightly frightened at the appearance of the woman.

She had long reddish black hair and porcelain skin and she was wearing a scarlet wedding dress. Her face was covered with a scarlet veil through which only her bright scarlet eyes could be seen.

'He will not come.' The woman said in a rich but emotionless voice.

'Wh-what?' The girl asked. 'The person you are waiting for will not come.' The woman simply said.

'B-but why? Is he hurt? Has-has anything happen- '

'No, you naïve girl. He's fine, in his home town, enjoying himself and waiting to get married to whom he loves.' The woman said, slowly approaching the girl.

It took several moments for the words to sink in. 'What? That- that's not possible. I'm here! We were supposed to go to his town! He was going to introduce me to his parents.' The girl said desperately, but soon lost her temper seeing how the woman kept shaking her head pityingly. What did she know? How much she loved Fubuki, how much he loved her back. She doesn't know anything, _anything _about the bond they shared.

'I don't believe you and I never will! Fubuki loves me and only me!' She cried out, but the cruel blizzard raged and blew her cry away and turned it into something resembling a distant cry.

The woman started giggling, but her giggles gave the same air of horror to the hearer as a mad cackle would.

'You're still clinging to your childish hope? See for yourself the extent of your precious man's so-called great _love._' She said mockingly. She then beckoned the girl to the lake, leading her to the exact centre.

The girl would not believe what she was hearing, she would not accept him. She was adamant that Fubuki would never betray her like that. He just couldn't…

The woman pointed downward towards the ice. She looked down and nearly cried of shock. As though through a window, she could see the person she loved and trusted more than any person in the world. He was wrapped in the tight embrace of another girl, a look of pure bliss on both faces.

'So, aren't you excited to become a Fubuki hmm?' Fubuki, or rather, his image said to the girl after letting her go. The girl just giggled, a blush evident on her face.

'NO! THIS ISN'T TRUE! I WON'T BELIEVE IT!' She cried turning away. Just the thought of it made her feel like she had been run through with a sword.

'Still stubbornly denying it, are you? Well, tell me this, if he did love you as you said, shouldn't he have come the day he told you to wait for him? Why did he leave you waiting for him for two days, in this biting cold?' She said.

But the girl would not budge. 'Don't deny it! You knew it all along! I can see it in your eyes.' The woman pressed on, again without the slightest hint of emotion.

That was it, the girl's resistance begun to break. She could not deny it anymore. She knew, deep down and even as she shook her head tears fell down and froze instantly on her face. She soon fell on her knees, crying in earnest and tears that dropped from her face before they froze turned into perfect white pearls in the cold.

The woman didn't even console her, but said in a rather disgusted voice, 'So that's it? The scum steals your respect in society, your purity, he tries to leave you dying in the cold and you'll just sit there crying?'

'No, I-I want to do something.' 'No, you _must _do something. And I will help you.' The woman corrected her.

The woman drew out a single rose, with petals of a rich bloody red and threw it on the ice in front of the girl.

The girl saw it and picked it up. As soon as she touched, her whole body got incased in a pillar of ice. The woman was quite uninterested, and began leaving while a dark shadow slowly emerged from the faint figure in the ice that was the girl.

The shadow slowly came out holding the rose and materialized into the girl who was iced over and probably dead, wearing a long black dress embroidered with black roses and a chocker (also black) with a black rose in front of it. A long scarf went behind her back and its ends were tangled around her arms.

The girl looked down her body, which was previously shaking with cold. But now it felt nothing, as though she was in a place neither cold nor hot.

'Now you can pay him back for what he did. And I'll take my leave.' The woman said without even glancing behind her.

'Who are you? And what can I do to repay you?' The girl asked.

'My identity is not relevant, but you can pay me back by _having lots of fun._' She said, turning one last time towards her eerily and melting into the shadows once more.

The girl looked towards the road from where her love was supposed to come, and tears rolled still from her eyes, but not normal tears, tears of blood.

The scarlet droplets fell on the rose, and it started to turn smoothly black, from petals to stem.

Her lips curled into a maniacal smile at the sight of the rose.

Laughter, insane and terrifying filled the little Inazuma town, and only the animals heard. Even in the blizzard, birds flew away into the night, escaping from something that is far more deadly than any blizzard could be any day…

_**END**_

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_**Author's notes:**_

**Dreamer: Mufufufufu…**

**Sky: Anyone else hear funeral drums?**

**Dreamer: Anyway, though this isn't exactly about this fic, I have to announce that I still need 2 more OCs for Inazuma Chronicles. So feel free to PM your OC. The OC form has been transferred to my Profile.**


	2. First Song Before the Second Death

_**Author's Notes:**_

_**Dreamer:Hi! back with a new chapter of "Price of Betrayal".  
**_

_**Sky: Or as I like to call it, "pointless bloodshed"  
**_

_**Dreamer: (Vein pop)  
**_

_**Sky: The author does not own Inazuma eleven or it's characters. He only owns the plot and the OC Andromeda Krono mentioned in this chapter.  
**_

_**Disclaimer: The chapter contains graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised. No anime characters were hurt during the making of the chapter.  
**_

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_**Chapter 2: First song before the second death***_

The blizzard had long subsided, and the inhabitants of Inazuma town were relieved that no one was hurt or caught in the vicious snowstorm.

... That is what they thought, before the first person entered into the lake area.

As the first beams of the sun flooded the small town, a lone man was walking sleepily towards the park housing the large lake. He had a large bag and cleaning materials that suggested that he had come to clean out the litter people thoughtlessly throw away and ruin the beauty of the park. The man was yawning a bit, which was unsurprising since it was still the crack of dawn.

He slowly approaching the frozen lake, thanking the heavens that the blizzard had calmed down. It gave him shivers just thinking about picking up trash amidst the viciously whipping winds. His vision was a bit hazy due to his befuddled state, but he could still make out the peculiar change of the lake.

He rubbed his eyes as he got close enough to inspect it and what he saw both shocked and mystified him. A pillar of ice had appeared at the dead center of the lake, and inside it was the petite, almost indistinct shadow of a girl sitting on her knees.

He rubbed his eyes again, hoping that he was seeing things. But as he reopened his eyes he still saw the pillar of ice and more importantly, the girl within it.

* * *

Inazuma town was buzzing with gossip for the next few weeks. The lake, already popular among the new couples for it's beauty, instantly became a landmark. It was here that a girl froze to death waiting for her love, and many stories sprang up stating that visiting the lake or proposing your loved one there would result in a successful relationship. The people knew that the girl was waiting for her love mainly by virtue of the people who saw her the day before she froze.  
Otherwise, it would've remained a mystery why the girl did not seek refuge even in the raging storm. It was due mainly to the fact that the girl was an orphan, had no family whatsoever and lived alone in her parent's house.

* * *

The girl was again seen in the same place, a few days after the discovery of the body, but she was instead looking avidly at her previous form. She remembered quite clearly the circumstances that lead to this radical and extreme change. She even retained every bit of the sense of self she had before her transformation.

She was quite stunned to find out that she had quite a few traits of the ghosts she only saw in horror movies. When she walked, she made no sound, even though the ends of the scarf she wore and her long dress dragged along the path. She left no footprint, nor did she shift anything in her path.

She could make most of what she desired come to reality, cast illusions, was as strong and fast as the winds of a hurricane, she couldn't leave inazuma town even if she wanted to. But the ability that most intrigued her was that she felt nothing and needed no sleep. She had not slept since that revealing night, The night when it all fell to pieces...

Currently, she was inspecting the couple near the lake's shore, The pair of read-heads were probably thinking that her frozen body was some relic that will bless their future together like the rest of the fools who had visited. She came closer, masking her presence better so they didn't know she was there.

The girl with bright red hair with reddish black ripples held into a high loose ponytail and pink eyes giggled as she leaned on the red-headed man wearing a smart white tuxedo and black undershirt. She giggled, and pulled the man in a loving embrace.

'Could you come to the concert of the symphony orchestra? It's my first time playing in front such a big crowd, and you're my good luck charm, after all.' The girl asked the man. He gave a smart smile and said, 'I don't need to hear you play, I already know that your brilliant on the violin. But I'll still come to cheer you on.'

'Thank you, Hiroto...' She said, still wrapped in a tight embrace. 'Any thing for you, Andromeda.' He replied letting go and holding her at arms length.

The girl just watched and tears filled her eyes, she could clearly envision herself in Andromeda's place and Fubuki in Hirito's. But, for some odd reason, she thought that the vision had more to it than she thought.

The two lovers parted, and the girl still followed the read-headed man. Her insides were telling her something about him, some thing all too familiar to her now.

Hiroto walked casually towards his mansion. For some odd reason he was smirking rather sinisterly. He entered into the magnificent interior, and walked straight into a grand room. A man with long earlobes and wearing a kimono was seemingly waiting for him. He was sitting on a table with a cup of steaming tea on the low table.

'Hello father.' Hiroto greeted as he took his seat directly to his father's right. 'You're late Hiroto.' His father said curtly. 'I would expect a man of your age to know the value of punctuality.'

'I know, father, but I had er... Errands to run.' He said casually.

His father looked very displeased at the statement. 'That is not a good enough excuse. You are betrothed and will soon be married. You must start acting responsibly now.' His father said gravely. 'Yes, father. But I think Reina-chan is more than responsible enough for the two of us. So why can't I cut loose for a bit?' He said smilingly.

'Reina-chan is responsible, but after she's married to you she could expect some responsible behavior from you. You must take this much more seriously!'  
His father emphasized.

But Hiroto was looking very unconcerned. He just said, 'Sure, OK...' dismissively.

His father did not looked very satisfied. He said, 'Now, a symphony orchestra is playing and you are to accompany Reina to the concert.'

'Yes.' Hiroto replied. 'Can I go now?' He asked after a while.

'Very well...' His father said.

Hiroto left the room and went to his room. After all, he had to kill two birds with one stone tonight...

He locked the door behind him as he entered his spacious and undoubtedly posh room. He rubbed his arm as he felt a strange chill.

'I've got to remember to fire the maid.' He thought as he closed the window. He went in front of the mirror absentmindedly and started to unbutton his shirt. He looked at the mirror and screamed.

He could see the girl right behind him, with scarlet tear streaks on her cheek. He looked behind him briefly to look where the raven haired girl was supposedly standing.

There was no one, but the reflection was still there. He screamed again and ran out of his room, to his father's room. He banged open the door and there he found...

Himself...

Wearing his father's kimono...

He saw himself turn towards him and say, 'You will pay...'

Hiroto yelled and ran out of his family mansion, followed by a thick black smoke cloud...

He ran and ran...

But...

He was caught by something like a long piece of cloth. It wrapped around his torso and neck...

The cloud bodily pulled him off his feet. He was momentarily suffocating...

* * *

'You're late Krono-san.' The orchestra conductor said.

'Sorry... Traffic, you know.' She said meekly as she took her seat and brought out a violin.

So the conductor lightly tapped the stand, readying them for practice.

The orchestra started playing...

* * *

_**(Please play 'the flight of the bees' for a proper feel)**_

Hiroto was being dragged along the road, caught between suffocating and rubbing against the road. His skin was torn and rubbed raw...

Soon he was leaving a bloody trail along the road, the pain intensifying as more and more of his innards were being exposed...

A song playing in his ears, as deafening as thunder...

* * *

The orchestra was lead to a crescendo by the conductor. Andromeda played harder and harder, getting into the rhythm more and more...

* * *

Soon the bones of his face were exposed as well...

The pain was threatening to overcome his senses...

* * *

Faster and faster, the song played to a presto...

* * *

His face was burning more and more, his tears making the burning worse...

He felt a change in terrain...

Now instead of asphalt, he felt rocks, pebbles, grass, dirt...

The roots dug deep into his body, which was readying itself to be called a corpse.

* * *

The orchestra played and played, moving gracefully, the powerful rhythm resonating more and more...

* * *

The pain and suffocation momentarily ceased, Hiroto thought that it was the end of it... He was being left alone...

But at once he was smashed against a tree, the back of his head banged on the tree, and his life started bleeding out of him in earnest...

* * *

Andromeda was doing wonderfully, and her heart filled with joy...

* * *

'Why? Why do you people have to be so cruel? WHY!?' Was what Hiroto heard, his life fading quickly.

The voice grew louder and louder, he felt more pain again as things like fingers, as cold as frozen steel penetrated his arm...

They dragged deeper and deeper, and he felt his bone splinter...

Finally, his life force extinguished as he heard the final question, 'WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?'

His eardrums raptured...

* * *

Andromeda was packing up, feeling quite pleased with herself. She couldn't wait to have Hiroto hear her.

* * *

The girl was looking at the corpse, no no more than a faceless, mutilated doll.

She had a sinister smile on her face, she whispered, 'Thank you Hiroto... You gave me a purpose... This will be how I wait for him... And I'll _improve_ your kind...'

She started laughing, and her demented voice was heard by none...

* * *

Reina was tapping her foot on the pavement, really annoyed at Hiroto. She knew him from childhood to be tardy, but she thought he would mature a bit when he got older. She was, of course, mistaken.

'Old habits die hard...' She sighed. She went and took her seat in the front seat.

She saw a small crowd on the dark stage. 'What on earth?' she thought as she went to investigate.

But her curiosity turned into mortal dread as she heard a familiar name, 'HIROTOOOOO!'

She ran towards the stage and soon she screamed as well...

Hiroto's body was in the middle of the stage, mutilated to no end, and his chest was a gaping hole...

His heart had been torn from his body, and it was tied to his sleeve by black rose thorns...

A single black rose, almost scarlet with Hiroto's blood sat on his heart deceivingly innocently...

_**END**_

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_**Please review!  
**_


	3. Grave Denial

**Author's notes:**

Nothing much, I guess.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inazuma Eleven or its characters featured but I do own the plot and the OC 'The Mysterious Woman' Andromeda Krono and Regulus Krono.

* * *

**Price of betrayal**

**Chapter 3: Grave Denial...**

To say the whole Inazuma town had been shaken to the core by the brutal murder of the heir to the Hitomiko industries Hitomiko Hiroto was a gross understatement. The people felt so helpless, and why wouldn't they? If a multi-million dollar company's heir could be killed mercilessly in broad daylight, what would become of them, the middle class?

But even amidst the panic and helplessness some roomers spread, and they weren't the kind of talk that could be called old wives tales. Some inner sources allege that Hiroto had been acting rather strangely that night. He was seen screaming at his father and running frightened from nothing.

Some of the alleged sightings of him made the most ludicrous claim that he was dragged along the road by some invisible force. But one gossip in particular was what drew most attention; Hiroto was cheating his fiancé for another girl, who was unaware that he was betrothed.

Hiroto's funeral was arranged to be held after three days. The police had no choice but to discharge the body, for with the best equipment and most experienced detectives they failed to find a shred of evidence against anyone.

* * *

The day of the funeral was unusually covered with black clouds for a mid winter day in Japan. The clouds struck as ominous rather than gloomy. Andromeda was clinging on to her twin brother's arm and sobbing quietly into his shoulder. She was sitting right beside Reina, who she found out was Hiroto's fiancé.

Reina was at a loss for words. She just looked at her lap and cried silently. She forgave Hiroto the moment she found out he was cheating on her, but who could hold a grudge against some one who suffered a fate like his?

And as for Andromeda, she was touched by the fact she felt so guilty for blindly trusting Hiroto and not looking into his affairs. It was really something to find a person caring for others feelings instead of their own. This almost made Reina angry at Hiroto for deceiving such a good person.

It was also something to her that she actually knew Andromeda, at least by name. Her brother Regulus was an old colleague and friend of hers. Regulus was also unaware of his sister's affair. (Which was unsurprising, even twins don't share everything with each other when they've grown up.)

But, these were mere facts, now irrelevant. The hatchet, cold and lifeless sat in a coffin in front of them, waiting to be buried, hopefully with the bitter memories as companions...

The funeral was almost starting, the chapel was silent and still. Only some small candles and dim lights brightened the room. But the room couldn't be darker, for what room could ever be bright where a father who lost his son lay waiting to put him in the cold, dark bowels of the earth? Where so many mourned the departure of a fellow human being to the eternal and mysterious beyond?

The preacher started the formalities, and soon reached the part where the deceased was praised in amidst renewed sobbing. But...

As soon as he described Hiroto as 'So loyal and true...' The candles became like flamethrowers, the blazing tongues of flames licked the wooden building, instantly setting it ablaze. The people, who, just moments ago, were mourning the dead were thrown into panic and started to run out from the deadly inferno. Some people had to drag Hiroto's father from the place, who was reluctant to leave his son, dead as he was, in the vicious blaze. Regulus had sent his sister to safety and was about to run outside with the oncoming mob of people when he heard a shriek.

He whipped around to see a falling pillar had blocked Reina's path and she was trapped. Without a second thought, he ran to her aid, fighting the stream of panicked mourners and ignoring his sister's shrieks.

'REGGIE! STOP DON'T GO!' Andromeda called at the top of her voice. She couldn't stand to loose another of her loved ones, not so soon. But she was buffed by the crowd and led outside.

The chapel was collapsing fast, and the smoke was almost too much to bear, but Regulus still rushed to Reina, who was coughing and nearly faint with lack of air. He pushed her out of the way of another flaming timber, but was hit with a charred piece of plank himself. Now even he was trapped, and he knew this may be the end for him. But he could at least die satisfied, if he lost Reina a second time for his fear, his inactivity, he could never forgive himself.

But he still tried in vain to shield her in his arms. The flames were closing in and Reina had long fainted from lack of air, even Regulus was close to submission. But suddenly, the flames nearest to them died away, the air freshening at the same time.

With eyes burning and watering from the smoke and extensive coughing, he was able to see a blurry figure of a Girl in a black dress. She was standing with her back towards them. Even despite the odd scenario, Regulus was thankful that both he and Reina were alive. He got to his feet with Reina in his arms and blinked a few times to clear his eyes. And when he was able to see the whole scene, his blood nearly went cold...

Hiroto's body was slowly lifting up from the coffin as though attached to invisible string. Either the Girl's sight was following Hiroto's body, or Hiroto's body was following her sight, he didn't know. But the corpse soon flew to the whole created by the fire in the roof and was merely a spot in the dark sky soon.

The Girl, seemingly satisfied, started walking towards them. Regulus stood stock still, almost as though he was carved out of ice. She passed them silently, but stood beside Regulus for a moment and said without looking at him, 'I hope you learn from his mistakes...'

Regulus understood what she meant by it. He called out to her as she was disappearing into the quickly dieing flames 'If I really had to burn her in the end, I would've left her to die here.'

The Girl halted for a bit, and then vanished. Regulus, lookin at Reina, realised that her breath was still labored, and he quickly ran out of the burnt ruins to be greeted by his twin sister, who was sobbing hysterically. The rain was starting and the sky was leaving its sinister demeanor, signaling that the worst had ended...

* * *

The girl was looking at a mirror in her old house. It was dark all around and nothing was mooving. The mysterious woman soon came out of the shadow behind her.

'You wanted me to kill people. You knew I would turn into this...' The girl said.

'M'dear, if I wanted you to become a restless spirit who killed people to lessen her own agony, I would've simply turned you into a ghost. But you're much more that.' She said in her icy voice.

'Then tell me, why make me so powerful now? And why confine me to Inazuma town?' The girl asked, still looking at the mirror in an expressionless manner.

'Because I wanted you to save others from the kind of pain you faced. And if you still have doubts, take this...' The woman brought out a piece of black string with three knots tied on it.

When the girl took it, the scene around her changed...

Fubuki was sitting on the other side of the table and a female police officer was right in front of him. She showed him a picture of the girl and asked, 'So, to be perfectly clear, you don't know this girl?'

'No, I don't.' He replied icily.

'You never saw her in your life?'

'No.'

'You never had any kind of relationship, platonic or otherwise, with her?'

'For the last time, no!' Fubuki said forcefully.

'That will be all.' The officer said, and the scene changed back to normal.

'So, what do you say?' The woman said. The girl looked at the string with knots. It slowly turned into a chain, and the knots into black pearls and they snaked their way to the girl's neck, finally turning into a necklace with three pearls.

'I do not know anyone by the name of Fubuki Kaitou, I never did, nor did I ever have any relationship with him.' She replied cold. She whipped around to look at the mirror, which shattered at her glance to a thousand pieces.

'Soon, soon... From now on, I'm nothing but a nameless person. You will die a dog's death in the hands of Munago...'

'So that's your new name?'

'Yes...'

* * *

**END**

**Fubuki Kaitou's... No I won't tell you yet! XD.  
**


	4. At the Eleventh Hour

_**Author's notes:**_

_**Is it just me, or am I getting fewer chances to speak? Whatever, I might as well live with it. If anyone's confused about the sudden idiocy, don't be. I'm the kind of puzzle that can't be understood even if I'm put together just right.**_

_**On a happier note, I'm being able to kill two of my most hated IE characters in this chapter, so for me this is the highlight of the story.**_

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do not own IE or its characters and I also don't own Munego (at least the bits of her I didn't create). I do, however, own the plot and my OCs.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 4: At the Eleventh Hour**_

'Aki! Aki, wait!' A chestnut haired boy in his late teens was calling a girl about his age with short greenish black hair. He was running behind her, and was in return being determinedly ignored by the girl. 'Aki!' He called again in vain.

Finally, he was able to run in front of the girl and take hold of her by the shoulders. 'Will you listen?' He said to her in an exasperated tone. 'There's nothing left to say or hear Ichinose Kazuya. It's over in my terms and there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind.' She said firmly. She was looking at Ichinose with something close to loathing and disgust. 'But it's not my fault!' He exclaimed rather desperately.

Aki just flared up at that and shook his hands off her shoulders. 'Not your- _not your fault_! Are you seriously _that thick_? How isn't it your fault when you could've done something to stop it but sill did nothing?' She spat at him disgustedly.

'I never showed Rika any kind of sign that I liked her! She was the one draping her over me! How is it my fault that she committed suicide after she found out we were dating?!' He said defensively.

'You could've explained that you're not interested in having a relationship! You should've said something, or she never would've gotten her hopes so high and made such an awful choice!' Aki shot back. 'Yeah and what if she swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills after I let her down in the gentlest way possible? Wouldn't it be my fault then too?' He retorted. 'I'm not interested in this conversation.' She said coolly before she stopped a cab and went off, leaving Ichinose in a bad mood.

'Stupid girl...' He grumbled as he was returning to his home with his hands in his pockets. 'She's ruining it between me and Aki even after dieing. Black takes no other hue, as they say...'

He went to his home and decided to take a bath to soothe his tensions a bit. He was feeling odd jabs of pain on his chest for a while now, but had disregarded it because he guessed he was imagining it.

He was inside the bathroom of his apartment and was taking off his shirt, with the pain still present. But to his horror, the pain was not his imagination after all...

He looked in horror at his chest in the mirror... There was kanji cut into his skin in perfect and elegant mirror writing, and it read, 'You have till the eleventh hour...' A small x was marked right over his heart...

It was a dream, a horrible horrible dream...What else could he make of it?

But the wounds on his chest still seeping blood, and his T-shirt that he wore under his hoodie gave testament of the reality of the situation.

He was appalled, stunned, horrified at this kind of warning. Could it be that Urabe Rika was haunting him, exacting revenge for what she thought was a horrible betrayal?

And "till the eleventh hour"? What must he do within the eleventh hour? Ichinose's head was spinning and he sat on the edge of his bathtub while clutching his head. No, he wasn't about to give in to this nonsense. He had closed his eyes and ruminated deeply. He needed to clean his wounds and think everything through. He has to keep calm, and absolutely careful.

He made up his mind and after painstakingly cleaning and covering his cuts, he went into his room. As most would expect, it was rather untidy (as it would be in any house inhabited by a solitary boy in his late teens). He quickly opened his bedside cabinet and withdrew from it a rather old looking wooden Omamori. He was unwilling to give in to what he thought were "old wives tales" but it never hurts to be prepared...

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. So with high spirits Ichinose went to bed at 10 pm, an early night was what he needed to get a whole day's worth of unpleasantness off his mind.

But, he was mistaken if he thought it was all over...

He restlessly turned from side to side, the bet felt softer and more velvety than most days, but he couldn't rest; he felt small prickling sensations all over his body. It was like there were thorns protruding from his bed.

He finally gave up trying to sleep, and he sat up while rubbing his eyes. But when he looked around, something made his blood go cold with fear...

His whole room was covered with blood red roses... He quickly threw of his blanket to find his bed also covered with roses, the thorns and petals somewhat damp from his blood; the thorns had left scratches all over his body.

He jumped out of his bed, his heart pounding like a sledge hammer against his chest. 'Who are you? Why are you doing this?' he yelled while looking wildly around the room. He hoped it was nothing but a sick, sick joke.

But he was gravely mistaken... The windows flew open and in came a small gust of cold wind carrying scarlet rose petals with it.

He just had enough dare to look outside, which left him more disturbed...

A funeral procession was passing beside his house and he saw all his relatives, acquaintances, friends and family in it, no more, no less, all walking solemnly in the rain of rose petals beside a coffin being carried...

Ichinose rushed out of his room and his house in utter horror, but found no one outside except a figure standing in the shadows, probably looking directly at him...

The air was chokingly cold, even though it was the middle of summer...

Ichinose felt chills run up his spine as the figure walked forward; close enough to see who it was...

"Rika!" He exclaimed as he took several steps back. Yes it was the same Urabe Rika whose funeral he attended just a few days ago...

'Aren't you glad to see me again, darling...' she asked in a voice that was as ghostly as her. 'I know I am...'

'Ge-get away from me!' Ichinose cried as he ran away from her as fast as he could.

But everything got worse; he felt his bare feet burning and realized that he was running over thorns... His feet became bloody and smarted heavily, but he had a lot more to loose than this if he stopped.

He was near the police station, but suddenly something cold and putrid fell on him, and he found himself under a rotting, mutilated corpse with fiery red hair...

He quickly threw it off him and got up and ran. The front of the police station was blocked with more corpses, one of whom he recognized to be a victim of some sick serial killer who was targeting boys and men...

There were very few places he could go now; he was leaving bloody footprints as he run for safety frantically but found no safe place.

He soon realized he was being herded towards the graveyard, because all other routes were being blocked by the figure of Urabe Rika.

'What do you want from me!?' He yelled finally, when he fell down and was cornered in front of Rika's grave.

The figure of Rika gave a sadistic giggle before it turned into a beautiful young girl wearing black...

'Just an apology.' She said while advancing slowly. Black chains, tipped with knife like blades flew from behind her and caught Ichinose's arms and they were skewered by the palms in the headstone.

'WHAT DID I DO TO YOU?' He roared with a mix of fear and pain.

'Nothing, but you did do something to her.' She said tonelessly, as she looked at the grave.

'I-I'll apologize...' He said with teary eyes. 'I'm sorry Rika...'

But a third chain came flying and planted the bladed tip in his chest, just missing the vital organs, so he was alive and conscious...

'Such a small apology won't do, not at all...' She said softly totally oblivious to the copious amount of blood leaking from his mouth, chest and palms...

She gently stooped in front of Ichinose as he was shuddering for breath.

'Let's see...' She said softly as she held Ichinose by the hair and pulled back to look at his face. She put a finger on his forehead and he screamed in pain... She was burning words into his forehead with her finger...

When she was done, she neatly pushed her forefinger into his forehead thus ending his life...

* * *

The next day, a body was found in Kino Aki's closet, about a day old, with "I beseech your forgiveness, Rika" burned into his forehead, just above a small bloody hole from where blood and brain fluids were dripping, and like so many other victims in the past year, had his heart bound to his sleeve by thorns, on which a black rose was perched...

* * *

_**END**_

_**YES! URABE AND ICHINOSE FINALLY GOT WHAT THEY DESERVE!**_


End file.
